Warnings, Watches Now In Effect For Florida's East Coast

MIAMI, FL — While the eye of Hurricane Dorian continues to hover ominously over Grand Bahama Island, winds are picking up in south Florida, prompting the National Weather Service to issue warnings and watches along the east coast.

A storm surge warning is now in effect for Lantana, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.

A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 36 hours. This is a life-threatening situation. People in these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation instructions from local officials.

A storm surge watch is in effect for north of Deerfield Beach to south of Lantana and Altamaha Sound to the South Santee River, South Carolina.

A storm surge watch means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline in the next 48 hours.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Jupiter Inlet to Ponte Vedra Beach.

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area in Florida by Tuesday, said the NWS.

A hurricane watch is in effect for North of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet and north of Ponte Vedra Beach to South Santee River, South Carolina.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for north of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet.

A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for north of Golden Beach to Deerfield Beach and Lake Okeechobee.

A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area generally within 48 hours.

Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning area through Tuesday, and are possible in the tropical storm watch area by tonight.

At 5 p.m., the eye of Hurricane Dorian had become nearly stationary over Grand Bahama Island. A slow westward to west-northwestward motion is expected to resume overnight and continue into early Tuesday.

A turn toward the northwest is forecast by late Tuesday, with a northeastward motion forecast to begin by Wednesday night.

On this track, the core of the "extremely dangerous" Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island into Tuesday morning. The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Tuesday through Wednesday evening and then move dangerously close to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Wednesday night and Thursday.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft has found that maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph with higher gusts.

Dorian is currently a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Although gradual weakening is forecast, Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles.

Sustained winds of 55 mph with a gust to 69 mph was reported at a NOAA Coastal Marine observing site at Settlement Point on the west end of Grand Bahama Island. A wind gust of 43 mph was reported at Opa Locka Airport near Miami earlier this afternoon.

Devastating hurricane conditions continue on Grand Bahama Island. Hurricane conditions are possible in the Hurricane Watch area beginning Wednesday.

A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 12 to 18 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds on Grand Bahama Island. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Water levels should slowly subside on the Abaco Islands during the day. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Surge-related flooding depends on how close the center of Dorian comes to the coast, and can vary greatly over short distances.

Flood levels from Lantana to South Santee River could begin to rise 4 to 7 feet and from North Deerfield Beach to Lantana 2 to 4 feet well in advance of the arrival of strong winds.

Large swells are already affecting the Florida east coast, and will spread northward along the southeastern United States coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Isolated tornadoes are possible through Tuesday along the eastern coast of Florida.